Jewelry clasp or the like



Feb. 1,1949. H. PoMMlER JEWELRY CLASP OR THEy LIKE Filed Aug. 22, 1946' Patented Feb. l, 1949 UN leren ss-rAfrfEs Para NT zo FEiG-E 2,460,551 n JEWELRY CLASP R' THE LIKE Henryk Pommier,` New YorltfN. Y. Application August 22, 1946; serial No. :692,230 12 claims. (onze-20s) Thisfinvention Irelates i to clasps and'more particularly to 1- a novel,' telescopically engageable clasp for jewel-ry, ysuch asbr-ac'elets, chains and the-like.

Itis among the objects 'of this invention to provide a-novel -telescopically engageable clasp comprising a male member, a female member en# gageable therewith, and an element onthe male member movable into embracing engagement with the female member; toprovidesuch` a` clasp including abutment Vmeans. on the female member engaged by the element secured'to the male vmember,y when in embracingpositiom'toprevent longitudinal displacement of the male and 'female members; to'provide anovell claspincluding a female member khaving' a slot therein' and "telescopically engageable 'with themalem'ember and an element hinged to Ythe "male member and projecting *through`V 'said' slotfor pivotal'movement'into embracing'engagement with the female member; andin generaltolprovide a novel 'easily operated and secureclasp' for 'jewelry andthe like.

These, and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention, will be apparent from the following description drawing.

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a' perspective View. of av chain provided Withthe novel clasp ofthe presentiinverition.

Fig.' 2 is a plan View. ofthe malermember oflthe clasp in the open-position.

'Fig 3 is aplan view of. the-.female memberof the clasp.

Fig. 4 is a plan v"view of the clasp inthe closed position.

lF'ig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of the clasp, taken 'on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the female and male members, respectively, lof a modied form of clasp according tothe present invention.

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the female andmale members, respectively, 'of` another modied form 'of the invention clasp.

According to the present invention, a novel clasp is provided including. longitudinally telescoping male and female members each adapted to be secured to one end of a jewelry Velement,such as a chain or. the like. :The female member is generally tubular'and is-providedy-vvith a longitudinal slitY orsslot. Thefmale member'is substantially solid .and hashinge pintles aligned with `the slot inthe .female member. A coverrelement is hingedly connected .to :the pintles of the and 'the' accompanying n clasp, Va substantially -uniform'exterior surface is provided.

Preferably, the abutmentmeans comprises a lug formed integrally `With `the outer' end ofthe female member, and the cover velement desirably has a notch cooperable with 'such lug. Additionally, vthe radius of curvature, ofthe vdistance female member soth'at a snap action 1s -provlded between the I'coverV element andfthe female member. For this' purpose, the, cover element preferablyv has a, length gre'aterlthan` half the peripheral length ofthe `female member. When the members are telescoped.- with the cover element snapped into Aembracing engagement with the female member and into cooperative relation with the abutment`thereon,' the Sclasp is'xd against longitudinal separation.

The cross-sections of the clasp membersmay be made to conform with the cross-section'alshape ofthe 'jewelry item to which the'clasp'isapplied. Thereby, a pleasing conforming appearance'` is imparted 'to' the resultant'assembly. nlore; the possibility of accidental opening. ofthe c asp elements do not project substantially beyondthe remainder. of the `ewelry article. Of course,-a slight lip, projection or depression may bewformed on the coverelement to beengaged ,bythe wearers fingernail for readily opening thev claspand closing Vthe same.

Referring more `particularlyv to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the clasp as applied'toia tjewelry itemk suchv as a "snake chain 10. Clasp AI 5l vcom prises a substantially tubularfemale member 2U, a'subs'tantially solid malemember 25 and a cover element hingedlyl connected -lto'inale'fmember znsstm-,qgg Hinge 26 lis'engageable inea-"longiis avoided due to the fact thatithe .clasp 20. Female on its outer end, with a projecting lug 28 adapted to engageV in a notch 3l in cover element 30 when the latter is moved into embracing engagement with female member 2U.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of cover element Sii in the open position. As shown, in Figs. l and 2, male member 25 is generally oval in cross-section and is provided with hinge pintles 32 receiving between them hinge pintle 33 on cover element 3f. Cover element 39 is semitubular in form and is preferably formed with a releasing lip or projection 315. Alternatively, a releasing notch may be formed in element 3B.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, female member 2l! is generally tubular in form, having theV crosssection of an open oval, and is provided with slot 21 which receives the hinge pintles of male member 2E and cover element 39,

Figs. 4 and 5 show latch l5 in the vclosed position. Y In such position, female member V2d is longitudinally telescoped over male member 25, with hinge 26 sliding through slot 21. When the latch members are completely telescoped, cover element 39 isrpivoted transversely into embracing engagement with female member 3G, with lug 2S being received in notch 3l `of cover element 3B. The distance between hinge 2e and lip Ss of cover element Se is less than the major cross-sectional diameter of female member 2d, and Icover element 30 is Ymade slightly springy. Additionally, the peripheral length of cover element 393 is slightly greater than half the peripheral length of female element 26. Thereby, cover element 3G has a snap engagement with female member 2i?.

In the closed position, with the lug 2S on the outer end of female member E8 engaged in the notch 28 on the inner end of cover element 3G, longitudinal separation of the latch is prevented. As kthe contour of the latch elements is substantially the same as that of the snake chain Iii, the latch elements do not project substantially beyond Athe periphery of the snake chain. Thereby, catching on clothing or the like is substantially prevented. Additionally, a pleasing conforming appearance is prevented by the combination snake chainV and latch.V

` Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate, another embodiment which the latch may assume in practice. ln Fig. 6, female element de is illustrated as cylindrical in cross-section with one wall section 4l being thicker than the diametrically opposite wall section 32, thus providing a shoulder 43., A slot d4 separates the other ends of the two wall sections. One end of wall section t2 is integrally formed with'a radially projecting lug lit.

' The male member i5 is illustrated in Fig. 'l as comprising a solid cylindrical portion e1 to which is hingedly connected, as at d8, a semi-cylindrical coverelement 5d. Cover element 50 is formed with a notch 5i and with a lip 52. The wall thickness of the cover element is. substantially equal to the difference inthickness between wall sections il and #l2 of female member 353.

The operation ofV the embodiments shownrin Figs. 6 and 7 the same as that shown in the embodiments of Figs. l through 5. Female member lill is telescopically engaged with male member 4b by a longitudinal sliding movement. Hinge 48 is received in slot its and cover element 50 is then snapped transversely into engagement with Wall section si of female member Ml. The diameter of cover' element 5B is made slightly less than ccidental opening of the latchdue to male member 25 and 'member 4). Thereby,

the diameter of wall section 4'2 of female member 40, and the cover element is preferably springy and has a circumferential length slightly greater than half the circumferential length of female cover element 5B has a snap fit on female member 40. The clasp or catch may be releasedvv by pressure on lip 52 of cover element 5D to release thel latter from its embracing engagement with the female member.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a further modified form of the invention. Female member 60 shown in Fig. 8 is generally substantially tubular in form and has a substantially triangular passage 6l and a slot 62. A groove 63 is formed in the outer surface of member substantially opposite slot 62. Member Gil ikewise has a projecting lip 64 having a concave upper surface 66. A lug lprojects upwardly from member 6e.

Male member 10, shown in Fig. 9, includes a solid triangular portion' 1l connected by a hinge 12 to a cover element 15. Hinge 12 engages the concave surface ,Se of projection E54. Cover element-'15 has anotch 176 which receives lug 6l and member lill when the latch is closed. Element 'frlikewise has a Yreleasing lip ll which fits in groove 'E3V of member 6D in the closedv position of the latch. 'Y Y' Y Y The operation of this Vembodiment of the invention is the'same as that of the embodiment previously described. Portion 1l is slidably engaged in passage 5l with hinge-12 engaging surface 66` of projection t4. Element 15 isV then swung transversely to Vembrace member te, and lip 11esnaps into curve 63. At vthis time, lug 6i is engaged in recess or notch 16 preventing longitudinal Vseparation ofthe latch members.

The described arrangement provides a simple and effective latch fo-r'jewelry or the like, which iseasily engagedor disengaged. Among other novel features of theinvention, it should be noted that the normal direction of stress on the latch isv axial orlongitudinal, whereas the opening movement of the cover element is transverse. Therefore, stresses tendingto separate the latch will not affect the closing Vaction of the latch, as such separating stresses are at rightangles to the direction of stress needed to open the latch. The latch may be made with any desired configuration preferably conforming to the cross-sectional shape to vthearticle to which the latch is applied.

.While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application ofthe principles thereof, it will'be understood that the invention may be otherwiseembodied without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is: v Y

l. A clasp comprisingvin combination, aA pair of,V longitudinally' telescoping members; abutment meanson Vone of said members; and an element Vhingedly connected to the other member on a longitudinal axisand movable vtransversely into embracing engagement with said one member, when saidV membersaretelescoped, to .cooperate with said abutment means to prevent separation of said-members.Y

2V. A clasp comprising, in combination, a'pair of longitudinally telescoping members; abutment-'means on th'e'outer member; and an elementhingedly connected to the inner member on a longitudinal axis andmovable Ytransversely into embracing engagement with said outer member, when said'members are'telescoped, vto coopcrate with said abutment meansto prevent separation of s'aid' members; i A

3. A clasp comprising, in combination, a pair of telescoping members; abutment means on one of said members; and an element hingedly connected to the other member and movable into embracing engagement with said one member, when said members are telescoped, to cooperate with said abutment means to prevent separation of said members; said` one member having a slot receiving the hinge connection between said other member and said element.

4. A clasp comprising, in combination, a pair of telescoping members; abutment means on the outer member; and an element hingedly connected to the inner member and movable into embracing engagement with said outer member, when said members are telescoped, to cooperate with said abutment means to prevent separation of said members; said outer member having a slot receiving the hinge connection between said inner member and said element.

5. A clasp comprising, in combination, a pair of longitudinally telescoping members; abutment means on the outer member; and an element hingedly connected to the inner member and movable transversely into embracing engagement with said outer member, when said members are telescoped, to cooperate with said abutment means to prevent separation of said members; said outer member having a longitudinal slot receiving the hinge connections between said inner member and said element.

6. A clasp comprising, in combination, a pair of telescoping members; an abutment on one of said members; and an element hingedly connected to the other member and movable into embracing engagement with said one member when said members are telescoped, said element having a notch on its free edge engageable with said abutment to prevent separation of said members.

'7. A clasp comprising, in combination, a pair of longitudinally telescoping members; an abutment on one of said members; and an element hingedly connected to the other member on a longitudinal axis and movable transversely into embracing engagement with said one member when said members are telescoped, said element having a notch engageable with said abutment to prevent separation of said members.

8. A clasp comprising, in combination, a pair of longitudinally telescoping members; an abutment on the outer member; and an element hingedly connected to the inner member on a longitudinal axis and movable transversely into embracing engagement with said outer member when said members are telescoped, said element having a notch engageable with said abutment to prevent separation of said members.

9. A clasp comprising, in combination, a substantially solid inner member; a tubular outer member telescopically engageable with said inner member; abutment means on the outer member; and an element hingedly connected to the inner member on a longitudinal axis and movable transversely into embracing engagement with said outer member, when said members are telescoped, to cooperate with said abutment means to prevent separation of said members.

10. A clasp comprising, in combination, a substantially solid inner member; a tubular outer member telescopically engageable with said inner member; abutment means on the outer member; and an element hingedly connected to the inner member and movable transversely into embracing engagement with said outer member, when said members are telescoped, to cooperate with said abutment means to prevent separation of said members; said outer member having a longitudinal slot receiving the hinge connection between said inner member and said element.

1l. A clasp comprising, in combination, a substantially solid inner member; a tubular outer member telescopically engageable with said inner member; an abutment on the outer member; and an element hingedly connected to the inner member on a longitudinal axis and movable transversely into embracing engagement with said outer member when said members are telescoped, said element having a notch engageable with said abutment to prevent separation of said memn bers.

12. A clasp comprising, in combination, a substantially solid cylindrical inner member; a substantially cylindrical outer member telescopically engageable with said inner member, a major wall portion of said outer member having a thickness substantially less than the remaining wall portion thereof; an abutment on the outer member; and a substantially semi-cylindrical element hingedly connected to the inner member, and having a thickness substantially equal to the difference in thickness of said outer member wall portions; said element having a notch engageable with said abutment to prevent separation of said -members said outer member having a longitudinal slot receiving the hinge connection between said inner member and said element.

HENRY POMMIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following reierences are oi record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

